Blanket blaming the media for everything does not help either. I almost never trust western media to understand the nuances of Indian politics. Everytime I visit home, I realize the Indian television media is always effusive in praise of the Modi government. The one exception might have been NDTV, but they had a management shakeup last year, so I am not aware of where their ideologies line up. Print media seems to be left leaning in general - Hindu, Indian Express etc. So trusting media at this point is a foolish exercise.

For every one BJP comment regarding safe-guarding minority rights, there are 5 which call for open discrimination. Even the video you shared, seems sympathetic at first glance, but Mohan Bhagwat has always prefaced comments with a subtle hint of "know your place in the hierarchy, and you will be fine". [1] I have never known Muslims to claim they were in any form superior. They are poorest minority in India. So that comment makes no sense.

So I only have to fall back on what I know from the people I am close to. All my Muslim friends feel less safe than they were 10 years ago. No one's come into their home and thrown them out, but they have to tip-toe around small things like eating beef, wearing the burqa, and offering prayers.

I suppose we have to ask ourselves, is it worth making people unsafe for practicing their faith in the name of politics?

We might fundamentally disagree on that point, and that is fine. In which case that is hand dealt for this country, and things will fall where they have to.

I appreciate your civility and I agree neither one of us is going to walk away from this thread having changed our minds.

[1]. https://www.outlookindia.com/national/is-the-rss-chief-mohan...